Unassumingly?

Question

I've already asked this and got an answer saying that the word 'unassumingly' can be used when wanting to say 'in a way that doesn't draw attention'. But is it okay to use it in this sentence? Thanks

"She stands up and moves unassumingly into Peter's holding."

GPY · Accepted Answer

What do you mean by Peter's "holding"? Could you possibly mean "into Peter's arms"? "unassumingly" seems unusual in that case.

Anonymous · Answer

Uh, yeah, I meant "into Peter's arms"

GPY "unassumingly" seems unusual in that case.

Okay, thank you so much for the info. Can you say what word would be more natural in this case?

GPY · Answer

Words like "unobtrusively" and "inconspicuously" come to mind, but standing up and falling into someone's arms doesn't strike me as a particularly inconspicuous thing to do — or, rather, I don't see really how you could vary the conspicuousness with which you did it.

Perhaps if you said "slips into Peter's arms" it would convey something of the idea.

Anonymous · Answer

GPYbut standing up and falling into someone's arms doesn't strike me as a particularly inconspicuous thing to do — or, rather, I don't see really how you could vary the conspicuousness with which you did it.

I'm not completely sure if I understood all you just said but… I may have been unclear with this, so, just to clear things up, the "she" in question doesn't literally fall or anything rather than wants her loved one to hold her because she's sad. Simply, she just wants Peter to wrap his hands around her, to hug her. And she doesn't want to draw attention to the action and the fact that she has a man to do that (since there are people in the room who don't have and there are other things to worry about).

I'm sorry if I understood you incorrectly or my answers seems illogical. English isn't my native language, so ;p But I appreciate that you're trying to help.

GPY · Answer

Anonymousthe "she" in question doesn't literally fall or anything rather than wants her loved one to hold her because she's sad. Simply, she just wants Peter to wrap his hands around her, to hug her.

In case it was unclear, "fall" in "fall into someone's arms" doesn't literally mean "fall". It's just an expression. However, wanting Peter to hold her is not the same as saying that it actually happened.

AnonymousAnd she doesn't want to draw attention to the action and the fact that she has a man to do that (since there are people in the room who don't have and there are other things to worry about).

I think my point is that when one person hugs or holds another, there isn't really a way (that I can think of) to do that more inconspicuously or less inconspicuously. However you do it, it would be obvious to anyone watching. However, the word "slips" suggests that the action was quiet and gentle.

Anonymous · Answer

Okay, thank you very much, this was helpful

But just to be sure, you think that "slipping into someone's arms" is the best expression, right?

GPYIn case it was unclear, "fall" in "fall into someone's arms" doesn't literally mean "fall". It's just an expression.

GPYHowever, the word "slips" suggests that the action was quiet and gentle.

I am familiar with the expression but with the word "slip" involved I guess I just got confused. I haven't even seen it used in this kind of way so my first thought was an icy road or something.

GPY · Answer

AnonymousI am familiar with the expression but with the word "slip" involved I guess I just got confused. I haven't even seen it used in this kind of way so my first thought was an icy road or something.

Right, I see. "slipping" into someone's arms is not like slipping or falling over on an icy road. It more like sense 1.3 at http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/slip:

Go or move quietly or quickly, without attracting notice

Anonymous · Answer

This was new to me. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/3.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/3.gif' alt='Emotion: surprise'/> Very useful. Thank you!

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